Monero One vs Cake Wallet: Which Is Better?
Neither is better for everyone. Choose Cake Wallet if you hold other coins, want swaps or Tor built into the app, use a Ledger, or want the app on a computer too. Choose Monero One if you want a wallet for Monero alone, on iPhone or Android. On iPhone, it adds a sync Live Activity and Trusted Locations.
We make Monero One, so read this comparison with that in mind. Every claim about Cake Wallet comes from Cake's own docs, website and GitHub, read on October 17 and October 28, 2026. For Monero One, we read the app source code at the store versions, iPhone 1.1.0 (14) and Android 1.1.0 (22). On November 2, 2026, the App Store and Google Play pages showed version 1.1.0.
Monero One and Cake Wallet are both open-source, non-custodial Monero wallets for your phone. Both connect to Monero nodes and scan the blockchain on your device, so your keys stay with you. The main difference is scope. Cake Wallet holds many coins, has built-in swaps and runs on more platforms. Monero One holds Monero alone.
Monero One vs Cake Wallet: The Key Difference
Cake Wallet has been around since 2018. It supports Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Solana and other chains next to Monero, with built-in swaps. For Monero, it offers Polyseed seeds, seed passphrases, accounts, subaddresses, view-only wallets, background sync on Android, built-in Tor and hardware wallets. Cake also makes Monero.com, a Monero-only wallet for iPhone and Android.
Monero One holds one coin. It connects to Monero nodes, downloads blocks and scans them on your phone. Every screen is about Monero.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Monero One | Cake Wallet |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone and iPad | Yes, iOS 17 or later | Yes, iOS 15 or later |
| Android | Yes, Android 8.1 or later | Yes, Android 8.0 or later |
| Computer | No desktop app | Mac and Linux; Windows builds paused |
| Coins | Monero only | Monero and many others |
| Built-in swaps | No | Yes |
| Scans on your device | Yes | Yes |
| Seeds it creates | iPhone: 16 words (Polyseed) or 24 words (BIP39). Android: 24 words (BIP39) | 16 words (Polyseed), 25 words (Legacy), 12 words (BIP39) |
| Seeds it restores | iPhone and Android: 16 (Polyseed), 24 (BIP39) and 25 words (Legacy) | 16 (Polyseed), 25 (Legacy) and 12 words (BIP39) |
| Seed passphrase | No | Yes |
| Custom nodes | Yes, with login and SSL (`https://` address) | Yes, with login and SSL |
| Hardware wallets | Trezor Safe 7, on iPhone | Ledger and Trezor |
| View-only wallets | iPhone only | Yes |
| Open source | Yes, MIT (iPhone, Android) | Yes, MIT (GitHub) |
Where Cake Wallet Does More
- Many coins and swaps. Hold Bitcoin, Ethereum and more next to Monero, and swap inside the app.
- Built-in Tor. Turn it on under Settings, App settings, Connections. Cake marks it experimental.
- More hardware wallets. On Android, Ledger over Bluetooth or USB, and Trezor over USB (the Safe 7 also over Bluetooth). On iPhone, Ledger over Bluetooth and the Trezor Safe 7.
- More seed options. Seed passphrases and 12-word BIP39 seeds, with Polyseed as the default for new Monero wallets.
- More platforms. Mac and Linux apps, plus F-Droid and other Android stores.
- Track record. Cake Wallet has been around since 2018.
What Monero One Focuses On
- One coin. Every screen is about Monero.
- iPhone extras. A sync Live Activity in the Dynamic Island, and Trusted Locations. Trusted Locations warns you when the wallet syncs outside the places you trust, and it can block sync there.
- Home screen widgets for your balance and the XMR price, on iPhone and Android.
- Background sync on Android. Turn on Sync in Background in Sync Settings, and a notification shows the sync.
- A Trezor Safe 7 over Bluetooth on iPhone. You confirm each send on the Trezor.
- No tracking. Every privacy manifest in the iPhone app declares no tracking.
How Both Wallets Sync
Both apps download blocks from a Monero node and scan them on your phone. Your keys stay on the phone.
- Wallet
- 1Node
- 3Blocks
- 2Scan on your phone
- 1Cannot reach the node
- 2The scan is still running
- 3The start point is wrong
A remote node still sees your IP address, and it sees when your wallet syncs or sends a payment. Cake Wallet has Tor built into the app. Our guide to what a Monero node sees explains what a node can see.
Some wallets use a light wallet server instead. You give the server your private view key, and it scans the chain for you. The Monero project's Moneropedia says a view key lets the holder see "every incoming transaction for that address." Monero One and Cake Wallet both keep your view key on your phone.
For more, see our comparison of Monero wallets or our guide on how to store Monero safely.
Which Should You Use?
Choose Monero One if you want a wallet for Monero alone, on iPhone or Android. On iPhone, it adds a sync Live Activity and Trusted Locations.
Choose Cake Wallet if you hold other coins, want swaps or Tor built into the app, use a Ledger, or want the app on a computer too.
Both apps are open source and non-custodial, and both scan the blockchain on your device.
FAQ
Can I move my wallet between Monero One and Cake Wallet?
Yes. Both apps restore 25-word Legacy seeds. Monero One for iPhone and Android restores Cake's 16-word Polyseed seeds that have no seed passphrase. Monero One has no seed passphrase, so a Polyseed with one will not restore the right wallet in Monero One. Does your Monero One seed have 16 or 24 words? Open Settings, tap Backup Seed Phrase, enter your PIN and pick Legacy (25 words). Those 25 words open the same wallet in Cake Wallet. Type your seed only into the wallet app on your own phone, and check that the address matches after the restore.
Does Cake Wallet send your view key to a server?
Cake Wallet scans Monero blocks on your phone, the same model Monero One uses. Your view key stays on your device with either wallet.
Is Monero One really free?
Yes. No subscription, no in-app purchases and no ads. You pay only the Monero network fee when you send, and that fee goes to miners.
New to Monero One? The FAQ covers the basics.
Sources
Read on October 17, 2026. Links checked again on October 18, 2026. The Monero, built-in Tor and hardware wallet pages and the GitHub page were read again on October 28, 2026.
- Cake Wallet docs: Monero, built-in Tor, restore from seed or keys, hardware wallets, background sync, manage nodes, install on iPhone and Mac, install on Android, install on Windows
- Cake Wallet: website, source code and Monero.com, Monero wallet code with `isLightWallet: false`
- Monero One: iPhone source code, Android source code